Activating an Information Handling System Battery From a Ship Mode

• US 20100097118A1
• Filed: 10/17/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Toland, David, Wang, Ligong, Tsai, Fu Sheng
• Granted Patent: US 8,138,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/427
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004

Abstract

In some embodiments, a method for activating an information handling system battery without using AC power is provided. One or more switches associated with a battery are maintained in a ship mode state during shipping of the information handling system such that the battery remains disconnected from particular information handling system components during shipping. In response to a user input, a power-on device generates and communicates a power-on signal to a battery management unit (BMU) of the battery. In response to receiving the power-on signal, the BMU activates the one or more switches from the ship mode state, which connects the battery to the particular information handling system components. The power-on device generates and communicates the power-on signal to the BMU, and the BMU activates the one or more switches from the ship mode state, while the information handling system is not connected to any AC power source.

Claims

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor; and

a power supply system configured to supply power to one or more particular components of the information handling system, the power supply system comprising;

a battery;

one or more switches maintained in a ship mode state during shipping of the information handling system, the ship mode state of the one or more switches maintaining the battery disconnected from the one or more particular components;

a battery management unit (BMU) configured to control the one or more switches; and

a power-on device operatively coupled to the BMU and configured to generate and communicate a power-on signal to the BMU; and

the BMU further configured to activate the one or more switches from the ship mode state in response to receiving the power-on signal, wherein activating the one or more switches from the ship mode state connects the battery to the one or more particular components;

wherein the power-on device generates and communicates the power-on signal to the BMU, and the BMU activates the one or more switches from the ship mode state, while the information handling system is not connected to any AC power source.

2. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the BMU is operably configured to switch the one or more switches to the ship mode state after the battery is charged and prior to shipment of the information handling system.

3. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the one or more switches are located in the battery.

4. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the one or more switches comprises one or more transistors.

5. The information handling system of claim 4, wherein the one or more transistors comprise one or more field effect transistors.

6. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the power-on device is operatively coupled to the BMU via a pin of the battery.

7. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the battery comprises a smart battery.

8. A power supply system for an information handling system, the power supply system comprising:

a battery;

one or more switches maintained in a ship mode state during shipping of the information handling system, the ship mode state of the one or more switches maintaining the battery disconnected from the one or more particular components;

a battery management unit (BMU) configured to control the one or more switches;

a power-on device operatively coupled to the BMU and configured to generate and communicate a power-on signal to the BMU; and

the BMU further configured to activate the one or more switches from the ship mode state in response to receiving the power-on signal, wherein activating the one or more switches from the ship mode state connects the battery to the one or more particular components;

wherein the power-on device generates and communicates the power-on signal to the BMU, and the BMU activates the one or more switches from the ship mode state, while the information handling system is not connected to any AC power source.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the BMU is operably configured to switch the one or more switches to the ship mode state after the battery is charged and prior to shipment of the information handling system.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more switches are located in the battery.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more switches comprises one or more transistors.

12. The information handling system of claim 11, wherein the one or more transistors comprise one or more field effect transistors.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the power-on device is operatively coupled to the BMU via a pin of the battery.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the battery comprises a smart battery.

15. A method for activating a battery of an information handling system without using AC power, the method comprising:

maintaining one or more switches associated with a battery in a ship mode state during shipping of the information handling system, the ship mode state of the one or more switches maintaining the battery disconnected from one or more particular information handling system components;

in response to a user input, a power-on device generating and communicating a power-on signal to a battery management unit (BMU) of the battery; and

the BMU activating the one or more switches from the ship mode state in response to receiving the power-on signal, wherein activating the one or more switches from the ship mode state connects the battery to the one or more particular information handling system components;

wherein the power-on device generates and communicates the power-on signal to the BMU, and the BMU activates the one or more switches from the ship mode state, while the information handling system is not connected to any AC power source.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

maintaining the one or more switches in a charge state during charging of the battery prior to shipment of the information handling system; and

the BMU is switching the one or more switches from the charge state to the ship mode state after the battery is charged and prior to shipment of the information handling system.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the power-on device is operatively coupled to the BMU via a pin of the battery; and

the method further comprises releasing the pin for other functions after the BMU receives the power-on signal from the power-on device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more switches comprise one or more transistors.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more switches are located in the battery.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising charging the battery prior to maintaining one or more switches associated with a battery in a ship mode state.